With millions of pilgrims and leisure travellers expected to hit the roads for the 12 October celebrations of Nossa Senhora Aparecida and the Círio de Nazaré, the Federal Highway Police (PRF) kicked off its nationwide Operation Nossa Senhora Aparecida 2026 at 17:20 BRT on 8 October. The campaign runs until 13 October and concentrates resources along Brazil’s busiest corridors—most notably the BR-116 (Presidente Dutra) between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and the BR-316 access routes to Belém. This year’s edition introduces a technology upgrade: drones equipped with real-time imaging will relay traffic conditions to command centres, while a helicopter will provide aerial support for rapid incident response. Officers will also distribute RFID wristbands to children and elderly pilgrims, a measure that proved effective at reducing missing-person cases during the 2025 Semana Santa. Educational teams will conduct roadside briefings in Portuguese, Spanish and English, targeting foreign business travellers who may be unfamiliar with local holiday traffic patterns. For corporate mobility managers the key takeaway is congestion. The PRF advises avoiding peak departure windows (late afternoon of 11 October and early morning of 12 October) and scheduling inter-city transfers outside 06:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00. Cargo operators moving between São Paulo’s industrial belt and the Port of Santos should anticipate rolling lane closures near Aparecida and factor in buffer time for deliveries tied to maritime sailings. Compliance departments should also note the intensified enforcement of Brazil’s “Lei do Descanso” (Law 13.103/2015) governing mandatory rest periods for professional drivers. Spot checks will use digital tachographs; companies found in violation face fines starting at R$ 937 per infringement and potential suspension of operating licences for repeat offences. Looking ahead, the PRF signalled that the drone-monitoring model will be expanded to the Christmas/New-Year period. Businesses with large field-service fleets should therefore prepare telematics data and driver-training documentation for possible roadside audits later in the year.
Source: Polícia Rodoviária Federal
